What to Look For in a Rice Cooker
Mar 06 '01
The Bottom Line If you like rice, you won't believe how much better it tastes in this appliance.
I wrote an entire report on rice cookers for Consumer Search, (which hasn't been posted on their web site yet), so I did a lot of research into these handy little appliances.
There are two basic types of rice cookers. The first are dedicated rice cookers, that look very high tech, and often come with "fuzzy-logic" or other gadgets that you pay more for. These cook rice extremely well, and some also have steamer inserts, so you can steam vegetables, etc. They usually have a non-stick interior, that you can remove and wash. They are used mainly for cooking rice, but you can also make soups, stews, and puddings in them. (Really, there is a recipe book out with all these items.)
The other brand of rice cooker is really a steamer/rice cooker, it's one appliance trying to do double duty. I have a Faberware steamer that falls into this category. It makes excellent rice, but also steams food in a steamer basket above the rice. (If you choose to use it, you don't have to.)
First, I'd decide just what you want your rice cooker for. If you just want to make excellent rice, and you're not worried about steaming foods, then I'd go with a dedicated rice cooker, that only cooks rice. That's what it's made specifically to do, and that's what it's best at.
If you want to use your rice cooker for steaming other foods too, then opt for one of the models that has a steamer insert, and can both cook rice and steam other foods. One thing to watch for, the size of the steamer insert. Mine is low and flat, so I don't have room to do large vegetables, like an artichoke, without cutting them in half. Some of the other models have larger steaming areas, so you can do bigger items.
As with most items, you just need to do a little homework, and decide what features are most important to you, before you make a purchase. I've had my rice cooker for at least six years, and I love it. Several of my friends went out and bought their own cookers after tasting rice from mine.
There's been some debate here about whether these appliances are necessary. I don't think it's anyone's place to tell someone else what they do or don't need. I use my rice cooker at least once a week, and I think it's helped my husband and I eat a little more healthy, and with a better tasting result. If you eat a lot of rice, or would like to, this appliance will help you!
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